1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to an improved dental strip is used to clean food particles from between one's teeth. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved dental strip wherein the rubber floss utilized to make the dental strip is impregnated with a fluoride medicament and dentifrice. By the addition of flavoring to the dental strip, it can be expected that consumer acceptance of the improved dental strip of the present invention and, thus, the encouragement of routine flossing to aid therapeutic results will be improved.
Additionally, the inversion of the rubber floss strip, or tube, during manufacture of the same, improves utilization of the strip by providing the dental strip with a more rounded shape a conventional tube.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, dental strips have been manufactured by die cutting a latex rubber tube. In the manufacturing of such tubes, a silicon coating is applied to the outer surface in order to prevent the same from becoming tacky. The inner surface of the conventional dental tube, or strip, is coated with talcum powder in order to prevent the dental tube from sticking together.
The latex rubber with the silicon coating and talcum powder, unfortunately, leaves a foul taste and odor in one's mouth. As a result, notwithstanding the benefits from flossing on a regular basis, users are inclined to avoid flossing as much as might be beneficial.
This type of dental strip is disclosed and claimed in my earlier patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,013, issued Jan. 14th, 1975.
As will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, the present invention overcomes the prior art deficiencies encountered when the tube of the dental strip becomes stuck together. Additionally, the present invention avoids the deficiencies encountered when users of the dental strips, presently known to the art, seek to avoid proper and regular usage of such strips due to the foul taste and odor.
Finally, the present invention seeks to overcome the deficiencies inherent in the prior art in a manner which is economically competitive for conventional dental strips.